Shirt presses



Dec. 27, 1960 L. NANCARROW SHIRT PRESSES l0 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 10, 1959 In venzol- Lawrence /MZ7zCZI'/-DW Dec. 27, 1960 L. NANCARROW 2,966,288

SHIRT PRESSES Filed July 10, 1959 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 I77 V677 Z O Lzwz-erzce Arzcikkow v M6 W fi 3 Dec. 27, 1960 L. VNANCARROW 2,966,288

SHIRT PRESSES Filed July 10, 1959 1O Sheets-Sheet 3 I77 vevzfia Laz W Few-c6 11 171 car/1w Dec. 27, 1960 L. NANCARROW 2,966,288

SHIRT PRESSES Filed July 10, 1959 1o Sheets-Sheet 4 Dec. 27, 1960 L. NANCARROW 2,966,288

SHIRT PRESSES Filed July 10, 1959 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 mmnn L. NANCARROW 2,966,288

Dec. 27, 1960 SHIRT PRESSES Dec. 27, 1960 L. NANCARROW 2,966,288

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I 10 Sheets-Sheet a Dec, 27, 1960- L. NANCARlOW 2,966,288

SHIRT PRESSES Filed July 10, 1959 10 Sheets-Sheet 10 a I77 377 ZLOI- L z w ence M172 czH-ow By 5- United States Patent Qfiice 2,956,288 Patented Dec. 27, 1960 SHIRT PRESSES Lawrence Nancarrow, Cullercoats, Northumberland, England, assignor to Baker Perkins Limited, Peterborough, Northants, England, a company of Great Britain Filed July 10, 1959, Ser. No. 826,261

Claims priority, application Great Britain July 10, 1958 8 Claims. (Cl. 223-57) This invention relates to presses for ironing shirts, or similar garments such as dustcoats, of the type comprising a centre buck on which the shirt is fitted at a dressing station, side expanders on the centre buck for expanding the sides of the shirt and a pair of heated outer bucks at a pressing station which are movable into position to press the front and back of the shirt after the centre buck has been transferred from the dressing to the pressing station.

It is necessary when using such presses to iron the cuffs and the neck band of the shirt (or the collar when the shirt has an attached collar) separately and with existing machines of the above type it has hitherto been necessary to press the sleeves .on a separate sleeve press and in many cases also to press the yoke of the shirt separately.

7 The present invention provides a shirt-ironing press of the above type which requires no separate sleeve press. The press according to this invention includes means for introducing heated air into the centre buck when at the pressing station to inflate, de-wrinkle and dry the sides, the sleeves and the yoke of the shirt or like garment to be pressed, and means for sealing the shirt at or near the cuffs and at the tails during pressing so that the bulk of'the air introduced into the centre buck has egress therefrom through the fabric of the shirt only. In this way the sides, the yoke and the sleeves of the shirt are adequately smoothed and dried and it is only necessary to press separately the wits and the neck band or collar. This separate pressing is normally performed prior to fitting of the shirt to the centre buck.

Preferably the press includes two reciprocating centre bucks which are coupled together and movable along converging tracks from the dressing station to the pressing station, so enabling one shirt to be fitted on the buck at the dressing station while another is being pressed on the buck at the pressing station. To facilitate movemeat of the centre bucks to and from the pressing station the outer bucks may be so mounted that, as they separate on termination of a pressing operation, they diverge at the sides adjoining the entry to the pressing station.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the press includes doors through which the centre bucks pass on their way to the pressing station and which are closed automatically upon arrival of a centre buck at the pressing station and means whereby the outer bucks are prevented from closing upon the centre buck until the doors have closed. The control mechanism is such that it is impossible to initiate movement of the centre buck away from the pressing station until the outer bucks have opened again and the doors are fully open.

One specific embodiment of shirt ironing press according to the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the press,

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the mechanism for moving the centre bucks alternately from the dressing station to the pressing station,

Fig. 3 is a section on the line III-III in Fig. l with the centre buck omitted,

Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing the mechanism for traversing the centre bucks.

Fig. 5 is an end view looking from the right hand side of Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a side view of one of the centre bucks with the back plate removed,

Fig. 7 is an enlarged scrap sectional view showing the mechanism for actuating the tail clamps of the centre buck,

Fig. 8 is a detail view of part of the mechanism for directing hot air into the centre buck at the pressing station,

Fig. 9 is a front elevation showing the doors,

Fig. 10 shows the pneumatic control circuit of the press and Fig. 11 shows the electrical control circuits.

Like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the figures.

Turning first to Fig. l, the press includes a pair of centre bucks 12 which are movable alternately, as later described and by means of a pneumatic cylinder Q, from a dressing station (shown at the right hand side of Fig. 1) to a pressing station where the centre buck is situated between a pair of steam heated outer bucks 13. During pressing of the shirt on the centre buck at the pressing station, hot air is blown into a tubular neck 14 at the top of the centre buck from a pipe 15, the air being supplied to the pipe 15 from a fan 16 and being heated by a heater 17. The outer-bucks 13 are moved into and out of pressing position by a pneumatic cylinder P and doors 18 close automatically, before the outer bucks 13 commence to close on the shirt at the pressing position, thereby safeguarding the operator against risk of injury.

Each of the centre bucks, 12, as best shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, is mounted on a carriage 19 comprising a sleeve 20 embracing a tubular, horizontal guide rod 21 and a roller 22 running on a horizontal track 23, which roller maintains the buck upright and supports its weight. The guide rods 21 and the tracks 23 converge towards the pressing station, so that the bucks 12 cannot foul one another as they move alternately towards and from the pressing station. The carriages are connected to opposite ends of a chain 24 which extends around a drive sprocket 25 situated beneath the dressing station, the two limbs of the chain extending parallel to the guide rods 21. The drive sprocket 25 is mounted on a vertical shaft 26 carrying a pinion 27 engaging a rack 28 which is reciprocable by means of the double acting pneumatic cylinder Q to move the bucks 12 alternately to the pressing station. Collars (not shown) on the guide rods 21 act as stops for the bucks on their arrival at the pressing station.

The two centre bucks are of identical construction and one only need be described. It consists of two spaced, vertical metal plates faced with padding and shaped at the top to support the yoke of the shirt. The plates are joined at the top by a yoke piece 29 (Fig. 6) having slots 30 through which drying air can be directed on to the yoke of the shirt as later described and carrying at the centre of the tubular neck 14 which fits within the neck of the shirt and through which air can be admitted to the buck when it is at the pressing station. The neck 14 is fitted with a conventional neck clamp 31 shown in Fig. 1.

Between the plates are mounted two air cylinders, indicated at T and U in Fig. 6. The cylinder T serves to open front and rear tail clamps 32 and the cylinder U serves to retract side expanders 33. The side expanders 33 are constituted by metal strips at the sides of the buck mounted on horizontal racks 34 meshing with a common pinion 35 within the buck. The piston rod 36 of cylinder U is connected to one of the racks 34 and is urged by a tension spring 37 in the direction to project the expanders 33. Admission of air to the cylinder U serves to retract the expanders 33. The tail clamps 32, which are pivoted to the buck at their lower ends 38 (Fig. 7), carry inwardly projecting spigots 39 engaging a slot 40 in a link 41. The link 4-1 is connected at its upper end to a bell crank 42 mounted to turn on a fixed pivot 43 and connected at its other end to the piston rod 44 of the cylinder T. A spring in the cylinder T urges the piston in the direction to maintain the link 41 in the position shown in .Fig. 6 in which the tail clamps 32 are closed against the buck. Admission of air to the cylinder T raises the link 41 and so moves the tail clamps 32 outwardly to leave space for fitting the tails of the shirt to the buck.

Each centre buck has two projecting spigots 45, 46 (Pig. 4) connected respectively by pipes 47, 48, to the cylinders T and U. On arrival of the buck at the dressing station these spigots enter female coupling members 49, 50 connected to a source of air under pressure as indicated in Fig. 10. When the buck is away from the dressing station the female couplings are automatically sealed by spring loaded valves to prevent escape of air from the supply system but the valves are automatically opened by the spigots, on arrival of the buck at the dressing station, to connect the air supply to'the spigots. A valve 51 (Fig. operated by a foot pedal controls the admission of air to and its exhaust from the cylinder T of the buck at the dressing station and a lever-operated valve 52 controls the admission of air to and its exhaust from thecylinder U. The air supply is derived from a compressed air supply line 90.

On arrival at the dressing station of a buck carrying a pressed shirt, the operator first operates the valves 51, 52 to admit air to the cylinders T and U, thereby moving the tail clamps 32 outwardly and causing the side expanders 33 to retract. The operator then removes the pressed shirt from the buck and then, maintaining the pedal depressed to keep the tail clamps 32 open, drapes another shirt around the buck. The neck of the shirt is fitted over the neck 14 of the buck and secured thereto by the clamp 31. After eliminating wrinkles from the shirt'the pedal controlling the valve 51 is released, so exhausting air from the cylinder T and allowing the tail clamps 32 to close on the shirt. After pulling the tail portions of the shirt taut in the tail clamps 32, the operator pulls the lever controlling the valve 52 and thereby exhausts air from the cylinder U, causing the side expanders 33 to move out to stretch the side portions of the shirt. The cuifs of the shirt are doubled and inserted in sleeve clips, which serve to seal the shirt at or near the cuffs. Each sleeve clip comprises a plate 53 (Fig. 6) on an upstanding arm 57 spaced from the side of the buck and an associated leaf spring 58 which serves to hold the cuif to the plate.

When the buck arrives at the pressing station, its neck 14 is brought into position beneath the lower end of the hot air supply pipe 15, which is initially closed by a butterfly valve 63 (Fig. 8). A connector shutter 65 is then moved down by a pneumatic cylinder R, through the agency of a linkage 64, to connect the pipe to the neck 14 of the buck. After the outer bucks 13 have closed on the centre buck and have remained closed for a predetermined time, the butterfly valve 63 is opened by a pneumatic cylinder S, so admitting hot air to the neck 14 of the centre buck. This air is directed, by vanes 59 (Fig. 6) in the yoke piece 29 into three streams at each side of the buck. One stream 60 passes beneath the yoke and emerges through the slots 31 therein to dry 7 the yoke of the shirt. Another stream 61 passes into the sleeve of the shirt. The third stream 62 pass s dOWnwardly along the side portion of the shirt which is expanded by the side expander, 33. The cuffs of the shirt are sealed by the sleeve clips already described and the tails of the shirt are sealed at the pressing station by tail pads 66 (Fig. l) on theouter bucks as later described. The bulk of the drying air is therefore forced to pass through the fabric of the yoke, sleeves and sides of the shirt to dry the same.

The doors 18 (Fig. 9) are moved to and from the closed position by pneumatic cylinders V through the agency of linkages 67 and the outer bucks 13 are prevented from closing prematurely on the shirt to be pressed as later described. Micro-switches M8 and M8 are closed by the doors when they reach the closed position and other microswitches M3 and M5 are closed by the doors when they reach the fully open position.

When pressing of the shirt at the pressing station is completed, the doors 18 are automatically opened and the operator presses a push button, shown at PB in Fig. 11. The following cycle of operations then occurs as described in more detail later. Air is admitted to the travel cylinder Q causing the centre bucks 12 to change positions. When the dressed centre buck has reached the pressing position the doors 18 close. When the doors have closed the outer bucks 13 move in and the 'connector shutter 65 moves down to connect the hot air supply pipe 15 to the neck 14 of the centre buck. When theouter bucks 13 have been closed on the centre buck 12 for a predetermined time (eg 3 seconds) controlled by a time switch, the butterfly valve 63 is automatically opened. The hot air enters the centre buck via the neck 14 and yoke piece 29 to balloon and dry the portions of the shirt which are not pressed between the bucks, i.e. the yoke, the sleeves and the sides. It is important that air should not be admitted to the centre buck until after the shirt is subject to pressure from the outer bucks as otherwise the air might wrinkle the front and back of the shirt. After 'a predetermined time set by another time switch, the doors 18 commence to open and the outer bucks 13 move apart. The cycle is then completed.

The operator has a master switch TSVV (Fig. 11) which must be closed to enable the outer buc'ks 13 to close and which can be opened at any time to cause the outer bucks to open. When this switch is open it is only possible to traverse the centre bucks 12 from one position to the other and impossible to close the outer bucks 13.

The outer bucks 13 are constituted by flat vertical steam heated plates having on their inner faces adjacent each edge of the plate raised portions which form the above mentioned pads 66 for sealing the lower side portions of the shirt. The rear outer buck is entirely flat but the upper end 67 (Fig. 3) of the front outer buck is curved so that it may press the front of the shirt up to the front yoke seam. Each outer buck is carried by a bracket 68 pivoted at 69 to the upper end of an upright operating lever 70 pivoted intermediately at 71 to a fixed upright 72. The lower ends 73 of the operating levers are pivoted respectively to the cylinder and piston of the double acting air cylinder P. If one of the outer bucks should meet the centre buck before the other, the other outer buck continues to travel and pressure is not applied to the shirt until both outer bucks are in contact with the centre buck. The outer bucks are thus automatically compensated to give balanced pressure on the centre buck.

The sealing pads 66 on the inner faces of the outer bucks press against the tail portions of the shirt and thus minimise the escape of air through the gaps between the tails of the shirts.

The outer bucks are mounted on the brackets 68 by means of pins 74 for movement about vertical axes. As the outer bucks move outwards their outer faces encounter rigid stops 75 (Fig. 2) carried by the uprights 72 and situated near their rear sides (i.e. the sides remote from the dressing station) and also against spring loaded stops 76 also carried by the uprights 72 and situated near their front sides so that on continued opening movement, the front sides of the bucks 13 will diverge, compressing the spring loaded stops 76. This divergence of the front sides of the outer bucks 13 afiords adequate space for the entry and exit of the centre bucks 12. When the outer bucks close again, the spring loaded stops 76 rock them about the rigid stops 75 to return the bucks to parallel relationship. There is accordingly no tendency for the corners of the returning bucks to strike the shirt at the pressing position first and therefore crease it.

The operating levers 70 are connected to hydraulic dampers 77 which prevent the outer bucks from moving too rapidly.

The control system will now be described in more detail with reference to Figs. and 11 of the drawings.

The admission of air to the cylinders T for opening the tail clamps 32 of the centre bucks under control of the pedal operated valve 51 and to the cylinders U for retracting the side expanders 33 of the centre bucks under control of the hand operated valve 52 has already been explained. Air flow regulating valves 78 are provided between the valves 51, 52 and their respective cylinders. The pneumatic control system also includes the following cylinders to which attention has already been drawn:

Cylinder P, controlled by a 4-way solenoid operated valve A, for operating the outer bucks 13.

Cylinder S, controlled by a 3-way solenoid operated valve B, for opening the butterfly valve 63.

Cylinder R, also controlled by the valve A, for closing the shutter 65 establishing connection between the hot air supply pipe and the neck 14 of the centre buck on its arrival at the pressing station.

Cylinder Q, controlled by a 4-way solenoid operated valve CB, for traversing the centre bucks 12.

Cylinders V, controlled by a 3-way solenoid valve D,

for closing the doors 18.

The cylinders P and Q are double acting and the remaining cylinders are single acting and provided with springs for returning their pistons when the air pressure is relieved. 'Ihrottles 79 are provided in the exhaust connections of the valve CB so as to retard the travel of the centre bucks.

The valves are all of the shuttle type. The valve CB has two solenoids 80, which are respectively energized by coils CB1 and CB2 (Fig. 11). When either solenoid 80 receives a pulse of current it causes the valve CB to move to its alternative position and stay there until the other solenoid is energized. Each of the valves A, B and D has a single solenoid 80 and a spring for moving the valve to its alternative position when the solenoid is de-energized.

Turning now to Fig. 11, the lectrical system includes five limit switches, viz.

LS which is closed by arrival of a centre buck at the pressing station,

LS and LS which are respectively closed by the outer bucks on arrival thereof at the open position and LS; and LS allocated one to each centre buck and closed by arrival of the centre buck at the pressing station.

When the operator presses the push button switch PB after the outer bucks have opened, following pressing of a shirt, to close the switches LS LS and the doors have opened to close the switches M5 and M8 one or other of the coils CB or CB will be energized, depending upon which centre buck is at the pressing station so causing the valve CB to change its position and cause operation of the centre buck traversing cylinder Q.

When the centre buck approaching the pressing station arrives there it closes the switch LS Assuming that the master switch TSW is closed, the coil D is energized through the normally closed relay contact RNC so energizing the solenoid 89 of valve D and opening the valve D. This causes the cylinders V to operate to close the doors, so opening the switches M8 and M5 At the same time a door time switch TD is caused to commence operation.

When the doors 18 have closed the switches M8 and M8 close to energize the coil A and thereby actuate the valve A to supply air to the lower end of the cylinder P, thereby causing the outer bucks to move inwards, and also to the cylinder R to close the shutter 65. A butterfly valve time switch TB is also caused, through normally closed relay contact RNC, to commence operation. After a predetermined time, e.g. 3 seconds, the switch TB momentarily closes contact TNO thereby energizing a relay RB to open contact RNC and close contact RNO This establishes a holding circuit for the relay RB and energizes the coil B thereby causing the valve B to admit air to the cylinder S and open the butterfly valve 63, so admitting hot air to the centre buck at the pressing station.

After the pressing time, e.g., 24 seconds, which is determined by the adjustment of the switch TD, has elapsed, this switch momentarily closes the contact TNO, so energizing the relay RD to open contact RNC and close contact RNC to establish a holding circuit for the relay RD. The switch TD is cut out and the coil D is deenergized as the result of opening RNC. The valve D therefore moves to its other position and the cylinders V operate to open the doors 18. As soon as the doors commence to open the switches M8 M8 open to deenergize the coils A and B The valves A, B therefore move to their alternative positions, causing the cylinders P, R and S respectively to open the outer bucks, open the shutter and close the butterfly valve. Relay RB is de-energized and the contacts RNO and RNC, return to their original positions. When the doors are fully open, switches M5 and M8 close. Upon actuation of the switch PB to commence a fresh cycle of operations, the centre buck begins to move away from the pressing station as previously described, so opening the switch LS and de-energizing the relay RD. Contacts RNO and RNC accordingly return to their original positions.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A press for ironing shirts and like sleeved garments comprising a center buck for supporting a garment to be ironed, means for moving the center buck from a dressing station to a pressing station and back again, a pair of heated outer bucks located at the pressing station, means for moving said outer bucks inwardly into contact with the opposite surfaces of the garment on the center buck to press the front and back of said garment and then outwardly, means for introducing heated air into said center buck when at the pressing station, means within the center buck for dividing said air into separate streams and guiding said air streams to cause drying of the sides, the sleeves and the yoke of said garment respectively, means on the center buck for sealing the cufis of said garment against egress of hot air from said cuffs, and means onsaid outer bucks for sealing the tails of said garment, when said outer bucks are in contact with said garment, against egress of air from said tails.

2. A press for ironing shirts and like sleeved garments comprising a center buck for supporting a garment to be ironed, means for moving the center buck from a dressing station to a pressing station and back again, a pair of heated outer bucks located at the pressing station, means for moving said outer bucks inwardly into contact with the opposite surfaces of the garment on the center buck to press the front and back of said garment and then outwardly, normally open door means positioned adjacent said outer bucks between the pressing and dressing stations, means operated automatically by said center buck on arrival thereof at the pressing station to move 3. A press according to claim 2, in which an electrical control systemis providedfor preventing initiation of movement of the center buck from the pressing station back to the dressing station until said outer bucks have moved outwardly and said door means has returned to its open position.

4. A press for ironing shirts and like sleeved garments comprising a center buck for supporting a garment to be ironed, means for moving the center buck from a dressing station to a pressing station and back again, a pair of heated outer bucks situated at the pressing station, means for moving said outer bucks inwardly into contact with the opposite surfaces of the garment on the center buck to press the front and back of said garment and then outwardly, a tubular neck in said center buck for admission of hot air to the interior thereof, a hot air supply pipe at said pressing station, means for supplying hot air to said supply pipe, a normally closed valve in said supply pipe, means operating automatically on arrival of the center buck at the pressing station to couple said neck to said supply pipe, and means controlled by said outer bucks for opening said valve after said outer bucks have moved inwardly and have remained in contact with said garment for a predetermined time.

5. A press for ironing shirts and like sleeved garments comprising a center buck for supporting a garment to be ironed, means for moving the center buck from a dressing station to a pressing station and back again, a pair of heated outer bucks situated at the pressing station, means for moving said outer bucks inwardly into contact with the opposite surfaces of the garment on the center buck to press the front and back of said garment and then outwardly, and stop means for arresting said outer bucks at the conclusion of their outward movement, said stop means including rigid stops at the ends of said outer bucks remote from the dressing station and flexible stops at the ends of the outer bucks nearer the dressing station, said flexible stops yielding to permit said nearer ends of the outer bucks to diverge when said outer bucks complete their outward movement.

6. A buck for supporting a sleeved garment in an ironing press comprising a pair of spaced upright rigid plates, a yoke piece joining said plates at their upper ends, said yoke piece havingan upwardly projectingtubular neck for admission of drying air to the garment and being formed with openings in its upper surface on opposite sides of the yoke piece whereby air can be directed from the yoke piece on to the yoke of a garment draped on said buck, sleeve clips carried by said buck for sealing the cuffs of said garment, and guide vanes in said yoke piece for directing air entering said neck into three streams at each side of said buck, one stream passing through said openings to dry the yoke of the garment, another stream passing into a sleeve of the garment and a third stream passing downwardly along the side of the garment. f

7. A buck according to claim 6, in which two side expanders are provided for expanding the sides of the garment, tail clamps for clamping the tails of the garment, pneumatic cylinders for respectively controlling operation of the side expanders and the tail clamps, and couplings for automatically establishing valve-controlled connections between said cylinders and a source of pressure air on arrival of said buck at a dressing station in said press.

8. A press for ironing shirts and like sleeved garments comprising a center buck for supporting a garment to be ironed, a pneumatic traversing cylinder coupled to said center buck for traversing it between a dressing and a pressing station, a pair of heated outer bucks at the pressing station, a pneumatic cylinder coupled to the outer bucks and effective to move them between an open position and a closed position in which they are in pressing engagement with a garment on the center buck, door means situated between the pressing station and the dressing station, a pneumatic cylinder coupled to said door means for moving the same transversely across the path of a center buck from open to closed position, means at the pressing station for supplying hot air to the center buck, means for coupling said hot air supply means to the center buck on arrival thereof at the pressing station, a pneumatic cylinder for actuating said coupling means, valves associated with said pneumatic cylinders, and an electrical control system for actuating said valves sequentially to cause movement of the center buck from the dressing station to the pressing station, closure of said door means, closure of said outer bucks, actuation of said coupling means, opening of said door means, disconnec tion of said coupling means, opening of said outer bucks and return of said center buck to the dressing station, said electrical control system including switches actuated by said door means and by said center buck, and time delay switches for respectively delaying the supply of hot air to the center buck until the outer bucks have closed on to it for a predetermined time and for determining the time for which the outer bucks remain closed on said center buck.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,743,854 Strike May 1, 1956 2,757,833 Petre Aug, 7, 1956 2,788,162 Hitz Apr. 9, 1957 2,807,396 Davis Sept. 24, 1957 2,834,523 Maxwell et a1 May 13, 1958 2,854,177 Strike-ct al Sept. 30, 1958 

